Recife, 3/29/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Yesterday some two thousand families, connected to the Landless Rural Worker Movement (MST), occupied four farms in the towns of São Lourenço, Garanhuns, Bonito and Pesqueira, in the interior of the state of Pernambuco. This follows on the heels of three other occupations of farms on Saturday. With these occupations, the number of MST families involved in farm occupations ("acampadas") in the state of Pernambuco has now risen to eighteen thousand.

The farm occupied in the town of São Lourenço belongs to the Votorantim industrial group which is owned by one of Brazil's richest men, José Ermírio de Moraes. The situation there is reported to be tense as local armed security personnel have threatened to expel the MST invaders.

The leader of the MST in Pernambuco, Jaime Amorim, says that between now and April 17, the organization has scheduled another 25 occupations ("invasões") of improductive farm areas. Amorim says the objective is to pressure the federal government so it will speed up land reform. Another objective is to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the Eldorardo de Carajás massacre where 19 rural workers were killed in the state of Pará. (translator: Allen Bennett)